I’ve exhausted an awful lot of superlatives in writing about Otoyomegatari over the years. But I think that’s excusable – this series really is just that great. It offers a combination of artistic genius and powerful storytelling that’s rarely been equaled in manga, much less exceeded. It truly belongs in the pantheon of the medium’s best works, the rarified air breathed by the likes of Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou and Hunter X Hunter.
If I was to point to any negative in this beautiful (and I mean that in every sense) chapter by Mori Kaoru, it’s that it has a sense of finality to it – and that’s only a negative because this arc is maybe the best in the series, and I don’t want to see it end. I don’t think Otoyomegatari is anywhere close to ending as a series, but I suspect this part of its story is closing – I think Mori-sensei has showed us what she wanted to show us about Karluk here. I suspect we’ll see a setting change next time out, and we might even be looking at a time skip before we get back to Karluk and Amir (which would be quite a shock to the system).
In fact, reading this chapter prompted me to go back and look at the early sections of the manga, just to see how much Karluk had grown over its course – and truthfully, he has grown a lot. But it’s the nature of boys that growth never comes fast enough to satisfy them, and that could only be amplified hugely when there’s the matter of a beautiful wife 8 years older to consider. There could have been no more cutting words that Amir could have said to Karluk than to tell him how “little and cute” he’d looked when she met him for the first time. But she also told him that she was glad to see him, little and cute though he was, because it meant that she could be with him for that much longer.
Mori-sensei’s use of animals as metaphors for people has always been a significant part of Otoyomegatari (and an excuse for her to show off by drawing them) and this chapter is no exception. The outing Amir has chosen for her brief visit with Karluk is to visit the Halgal family horses – something she as a part of a nomadic family finds mesmerizing, but whose appeal is initially lost on Karluk. When Karluk sees the stallion standing proud at the center of the herd and Amir tells him that the stallion will protect the herd should any danger arise, it isn’t difficult to read Karluk’s thoughts. He wants nothing more than to be a stallion, of course, rather than the plucky and precocious foal he is.
It’s Amir’s story of the wolves, though, that really hammers home the emotion of the moment. Even though they must be fed and cared for as pups, and looked after by the pack when they grow old and feeble (indeed, wolves are one of the few animals that do care for their elderly), their essential nature never changes. A wolf is always proud and beautiful, young or old. With Amir being proud and beautiful is an obvious thing, but Karluk needs to be reassured that he’s proud and beautiful too, especially in her eyes – though of course we can see that he is. What Amir loves about Karluk isn’t a fleeting physical strength, its an enduring nobility of character.
What a beautiful nod to this beautiful love story that is. It’s simply perfect that Mori shows us Karluk having to stand on tiptoes to be hugged consolingly by Amir here, because it reminds us that as much as he believes in Amir, he’ll never truly rest easy until he can be a husband and protector to her in the way his upbringing has taught him he must – he’s a boy, it’s just how boys are. Watching Karluk try so hard to achieve manliness is a little sad, a little funny, and tremendously endearing – because we and Amir both know that he’s demonstrated his worth as a man in ways far more important than physical stature.
elianthos80
November 9, 2017 at 12:09 pmUGYUUUHHHH <3 ah the art the feels. I agree this seems to have an arc ending vibe. Hopefully if a time skip is ahead it's not too much of a long one and we can enjoy Karluk's spring of puberty&growth spurt so the poor lad can get some reassurance on that front from the inside.
That said… I really liked Amir's attitude in this chapter – btw I agree with you sister: HORSES ARE AWESOME <33333333333 (to be fair though dem humble mules and donkeys tend to have the sweetest eyes and the best eyelashes *3* ) – and honestly I think she gave a very honest and balanced – and ofc loving – answers.
Plus we got her POV about the wedding! Poor dear I can well believe she was also very relieved to see he wasn't going to marry an old man and possibly a brutal one ( even without the epidemic rememberit was once mentioned many chapters ago the other girl relatives in her tribe had not been so lucky… at least one of them had died by marital abuse ) .
Anyway this whole arc has been glorious both in art and content… but Otoyomegatari has always been at its best and strongest whenever it focuses on these two. Thank you for going extra with all the images in the post Enzo 8D
elianthos80
November 9, 2017 at 12:11 pm*dang laggy connection. Sorry I didn’t spot the missing letters and the extra random one ;3;
Guardian Enzo
November 9, 2017 at 1:12 pmThat beautiful insert panel in the middle of the chapter… I would have felt like a butcher if I didn’t use it the same way she did.
ThatLatinxChick
November 9, 2017 at 5:35 pmI really liked this chapter from Amir POV for a change. I liked that she highlights in a subtle way the frustration and fears women had during this time especially when you hit the age to marry. Aside from being able to marry at a suitable age and bringing a dowry into your new family (depending on the dowry could also mean the kind of wealth and class you will marry into), but the natural fears of what kind of husband you will marry? You could marry some gross older men or be married to brutal men whom beat their wives.
I remember chapters ago Amir’s brothers were talking about her sister that was killed by the other tribe she was married into and the brothers suspected that particular tribe doesn’t treat their women very well and of course we go an indication of the that when they visited that tribe and you can feel the tense fear those women felt being around the other men aside from their husbands.
Not only was Amir relieved to see Karluk was a young kid and could spend more time with him, but she was also relieved that she seemingly got herself a kind person who will make a wonderful and kind husband to her.
Side note: I am interested to see why we haven’t seen the women in Amir and her brothers tribe? I mean I want to get to know the women there too.
Jennifer
July 20, 2021 at 10:00 pmI am still mostly enamored by just the art, and the other stories (I care for the traveling “doctor” story least, idk why), though at first Karluk and Amir were my favorites story-wise. I feel he’s grown maturity-wise but think that over a year of marriage we’d see more physical change. Two boys in my family were as tall as their dad by 13. Maybe we just have fast growing/early maturing genes. Lol! For me her tone was almost motherly here, which has happened in their serious discussions before. She instructs him with the loving patience of a mom, looking down on her adorable child. After this many chapters, I’m ready for change and progress here.. I just have to tell myself I’m there for the art so keep enjoying it, and hopefully to see Azel’s bride story soon (I hope he doesn’t marry a child).
Guardian Enzo
July 20, 2021 at 10:12 pmYes, it is almost motherly, which is of course perfectly understandable under the circumstances. It’s love without question, but it makes Karluk feel even more inadequate.